


The Prince And The Hedgehog

by smallsleepyrascalcat



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Brothers Grimm, M/M, fairytale, fanart inspired
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-28
Updated: 2014-09-28
Packaged: 2018-02-19 02:53:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2371838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smallsleepyrascalcat/pseuds/smallsleepyrascalcat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A re-writing of "The Frog Prince"</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Prince And The Hedgehog

**Author's Note:**

> This is inspired by this beautiful fanart [here](http://datjonah.tumblr.com/post/91663406998/hi-can-you-please-do-princess-harry-in-29-please).

In the old times, when it was still of some use to wish for the thing one wanted, there lived a Queen whose daughter was very handsome, but the youngest child, her son, was so beautiful that the sun himself, who has seen so much, wondered each time he shone over him because of his beauty. He had big green eyes and long dark curly hair and his smile was s bright as the shine of the diamonds in the Queen's crown. Near the royal castle there was a great park and in the park the Prince used to play with his five golden chestnuts, and this was her favourite pastime.  
One day in autumn, the Prince was playing with his five golden chestnuts in the park by the castle. He loved autumn, because the leaves on the trees became the same colour as his chestnuts, before falling down. In a moment of carelessness, one of his five golden chestnuts slipped away and rolled into a pile of leaves, the gardeners had left among the trees. The Prince followed the chestnut and searched the whole pile for it, but with the leaves the colour of his golden chestnuts, he couldn't find it any more. The Prince sat down in despair next to the pile of leaves and tears started running down his rosy cheeks. He mourned over the loss of one of his chestnuts, because for his game, he needed all five of them, as suddenly the leaves in front of him rustled and the snout of a Hedgehog appeared. The Hedgehog got up on his hind legs and sniffed in the air. Then his eyes fell on the Prince and he saw his tears. To the Princes surprise, the Hedgehog started talking. “Now what's this young Prince?” he said “Why are you crying tears that could melt a heart of stone?” - “Oh, it's you, Master Stinger.” said the young Prince “One of my golden chestnuts has rolled into the leaves and now I can't find it any more. And I cannot play with only four chestnuts.” - “Never mind, do not weep!” said the Hedgehog “I can help you, but what will you give me, if I get you your fifth golden chestnut?” - “Whatever you like, dear Hedgehog” said the Prince “any of my clothes, my jewels or even the golden crown I wear.” “Your clothes, jewels and crown are no use for me.” said the Hedgehog "but if you would love me, and have me for your companion and play-fellow, and let me sit by you at table, and eat from your plate, and drink from your cup, and sleep in your bed, if you would promise all this, then I would get into the pile of autumn leaves and fetch you your golden chestnut again." - "Oh yes," he answered, "I will promise it all, whatever you want, if you will only get me my chestnut again." But he thought to himself: What nonsense he talks! As if he could do anything but run around and grunt with the other Hedgehogs, or could possibly be any one's companion.  
But the Hedgehog, as soon as he heard his promise, turned around and went back into the pile of autumn leaves and went out of sight, but after a while he came out of the pile again with the golden chestnut in his mouth, and he put it down on the grass. The Prince was overjoyed to see his pretty plaything again, and he picked it up and ran off with it. "Stop, stop!" cried the Hedgehog, "take me up too. I cannot run as fast as you!" But it was of no use, for grunt, grunt after him as he might, he would not listen to him, but made haste home, and very soon forgot all about the poor Hedgehog, who had to betake himself to his pile of autumn leaves again.  
The next day, when the Prince was sitting at table with the Queen and all the court, and eating from his golden plate, there came something grunting up the marble stairs, and then there came a knocking at the door, and a voice crying: "Youngest Queen's son, let me in!" And he got up and ran to see who it could be, but when he opened the door, there was the Hedgehog sitting outside. Then he shut the door hastily and went back to his seat, feeling very uneasy. The Queen noticed how quickly his heart was beating, and said: "My child, what are you afraid of? Is there a giant standing at the door ready to carry you away?" - "Oh no," answered he, "no giant, but a horrid Hedgehog." - "And what does the Hedgehog want?" asked the Queen. "O dear mother," he answered "when I was sitting in the park yesterday, and playing with my golden chestnuts, one of them rolled in a pile of leaves, and while I was crying for the loss of it, the Hedgehog came and got it again for me on condition I would let him be my companion, but I never thought that he could leave park and come after me; but now there he is outside the door, and he wants to come in to me." And then they all heard him knocking the second time and crying: 

"Youngest Queen's son,  
Open to me!  
In the park under the autumn sun  
What promised you me?  
Youngest Queen's son  
Now open to me!" 

"That which you have promised must you perform," said the Queen, "so go now and let him in." So he went and opened the door, and the Hedgehog walked in, following at his heels, till he reached his chair. Then he stopped and cried: "Lift me up to sit by you." But he delayed doing so until the Queen ordered him. When once the Hedgehog was on the chair, he wanted to get on the table, and there he sat and said: "Now push your golden plate a little nearer, so that we may eat together." And so he did, but everybody might see how unwilling he was, and the Hedgehog feasted heartily, but every morsel seemed to stick in the Prince's throat. "I have had enough now," said the Hedgehog at last, "and as I am tired, you must carry me to your room, and make ready your silken bed, and we will lie down and go to sleep." Then the Queen's son began to weep, and was afraid of the prickly Hedgehog, that nothing would satisfy him but he must sleep in his pretty clean bed. Now the Queen grew angry with him, saying: "That which you have promised in your time of necessity, must you now perform." So he picked up the frog using his table napkin, carried him upstairs and put him in a corner, and when he had lain down to sleep, the Hedgehog came creeping up, saying: "I am tired and want sleep as much as you; take me up, or I will tell your mother." Then he felt beside himself with rage, and picking him up, he threw him with all his strength against the wall, crying: "Now will you be quiet, you horrid Hedgehog!"  
But as he fell, he ceased to be a Hedgehog, and became all at once a Prince with beautiful kind blue eyes, a warm smile and a stubbly chin. And it came to pass that, with his mother's consent, they became bridegrooms. And he told him how a wicked witch had bound him by her spells, and how no one but he alone could have released him, and that they two would go together to his father's kingdom. And they all lived happily ever after.


End file.
